Bristol Bay catch tops 28 million salmon

Commercial salmon harvests have topped 28 million fish in Bristol Bay and 23 million fish in Prince William Sound, and the preliminary statewide harvest through July 15 exceeded 61 million salmon of all species.

Just a week earlier the preliminary total stood at just 22.8 million salmon, including 21.4 million salmon harvested in Bristol Bay, way above the preseason forecast of fewer than 17 million salmon.

Of the 28,305,000 salmon delivered to processors in Bristol Bay, 27,894,000 of them were sockeyes and reactions among fishermen were mixed as word spread that the going home price would be $1.20 a pound, plus an added 15 cents for chilled fish.